The International Agency for Research on Cancer just expanded to twenty Participating States, with the admission of the Republic of Ireland joining officially at the 49th Session of the IARC Governing Council in Lyon (France), May 10-11, 2007.

In addition, the Russian Federation has now resumed its active participation in the work of the Agency, and the Russian Minister of Health and Social Development, Mr Mikhail Zurabov came in person to deliver a message to the Agency's governing body.

It is a source of great pleasure to see more Participating States joining the Agency. While this reflects the growing awareness of the increasing cancer burden around the world, it also is a measure of the growing political commitment to fight the disease, not only in the high-income countries but increasingly in low- to middle income nations, said Dr Peter Boyle, Director of the IARC.